‘Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birth-stool; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them. And God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them households.’ Exodus 1:8-21

We are introduced to Shiprah and Puah in Exodus chapter 1. We learn from this passage that these two women are Hebrew midwives. The king of Egypt instructed these women to kill any males being born to Hebrew women. The passages emphasizes that the Hebrew women feared God and chose to disobey the king’s commandment.

This short story of Shiprah and Puah shows amazing faith in the power of fearing God and keeping His commandments. Because of the willingness of these women to go against the king’s command and instead honor God’s commandments, they were able to help the Israelites increase in number and received even more individualized blessings from God.

‘Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and prolong his days, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him:’ Ecclesiastes 8:12

“Praise ye Jehovah. Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah, That delighteth greatly in his commandments.” Psalm 112:1